Machine for manufacturing heels



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. S. MANSELL. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEELS. No. 595,249.

Patented Dec. 7,1897.

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witnesses:

aornega (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. MANSELL. v MAGHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEELS.-

No. 595,249. Patented Dec. 7, 1897.

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ELBRIDGE S. MANSELL, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 595,249, dated December 7, 1897.

Application filed January 28, 1897. Serial No. 621,043. (No model.) i

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBRIDGE S. MANSELL, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Heels, &c., for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to-facilitate the manufacture of heels, inner soles, counter-stiifeners, and taps, as well as other parts which are used in the manufacture of boots and shoes and the like; also, to simplify the processes which are followed in the making of such articles to reduce the cost and to render unnecessary the employment of skilled labor.

The invention consists in a machine of simple, novel, and improved character and construction by means of which to enable a succession of lifts or layers of leather or other suitable material, the same preferably previously having been died out to the required shape of the articles to be produced, to be united to one another in the form of a bar which in cross-section corresponds with the shape in plan of the heels or inner soles which subsequently are to be produced or with the counter-stiffeners before they are molded into The said died-out lifts or layers may consist each of a single piece or of two or more pieces or sections fitted together and placed side by side in the machine.

The invention will be described first with reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which latter I have represented the best form of mechanism in which the invention has thus far been embodied.

In the course of the following description I shall describe the invention with especial reference to the illustrated embodiment thereof; but I wish it to be understood that the machine may be varied with respect to the form, construction, and arrangement of its parts without involving a departure from the spirit of the invention, and that therefore I do not wish to be restricted to the exact particulars which are herein shown and described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view mainly in front elevation, but with certain parts in view showing the said follower in side elevation.

At 1 I have shown a portion of the framework of the in achine,which framework may be of any suitable or desired form or construction suitable for supporting, carrying, and guiding the various parts of the mechanism. In the machine I employ a plunger mechanism by means of which the previously-died-out blanks are forced, in the manner which presently will be made to appear, into the inte rior space of the form which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and compressed together within the said form. The said framework 1 is formed or provided with a guide or guides, as at 2 2, for the plunger-carrier. In the latter the said plunger-carrier is designated 3, and it is represented as consisting of a U -shaped yoke, to the upwardly-extending legs or arms of which are connected the sectional plungers which are hereinafter described. The said arms or legs of the yoke 23 are fitted to the guides 2 2 and have longitudinal movement therein.

Springs 4 at are compressed between a suitable fiXed part or parts of the frameworkas, for instance, the table portion 6 and the collars 5 5, which last are made fast on the said legs or arms of the yoke 3. These springs 4 4 serve to hold the yoke and the parts which are carried by the yoke normally in a raised position. With the said yoke 3 I combine the plunger or plungcrs which I use for forcing the blanks together within the form. The form is designated 7, it being represented in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 and having a vertical opening or passage therethrough which in transverse section corresponds in shape with the blank. I may employ either a single plunger which corresponds in shape with the blank and fills the opening or passage through the form, or I may employsectional plungers comprising two or more parts which when taken together make up the plunger in its entirety and fill the said vertical opening or passage through the form. I have deemed it best to show in the drawings a sectional plunger arrangement comprising the two parts or sections 8 8. Each of the said plunger-sections 8 8 is applied to an arm 9,'carried by one of the arms or legs 2 2 of the yoke 3. In practice a blank of proper form is inserted by the operator or attendant of the machine into the upper part of the opening or passage through the form, and the plunger or plungers will next be depressed to force the said blank downward within the said opening or passage, after which the plunger or plungers will be raised to allow of a fresh blank being put in place.

For the purpose of more completely avoiding the presence of any obstruction above the form which would be in the way of the operator or attendant when inserting blanks into the form or which would otherwise interfere with free access to the said form and at the same time for the further purpose of rendering it unnecessary to raise the plunger or plungers to any considerable height above the form I so construct the devices by means of which the plunger or plungers is or are operated as that a horizontal. component shall be introduced into the movement which is communicated to the plunger or plungers. Thereby as the plunger or plungers is or are retracted from the form a horizontal or lateral movement is communicated thereto,

whereby the same shall be carried into a position or positions laterally removed withrelation to the opening or passage in the form. Thus in the drawings I have shown the said arms 9 9 hinged or jointed, as at 10 10, to the arms or legs of the yoke 3. With the said arms 9 9 are connected springs 11 11, which tend to draw the said arms outwardly and away from each other, so as to remove the sections 8 8 of the plunger away from over the opening or passage through the form. Upon the framework 1 are provided bearings, preferably in the shape of antifrictionrollers 12 12, against-which the vertical outer sides of the arms 9 9 are drawn by the action ofthe springs 11 11. When the yoke 3 has been raised sufficiently high by the action of the springs 4 4 to bring the pivotal points 10 10 above the said bearing-rolls 12 12, the springs 11 11 operate to draw the arms 9 9 and the sections 8 8 of the plunger apart, as aforesaid. Then the yoke 3 is drawn downwardly, the action of the said bearing-rolls12 12 upon the outer vertical sides of the arms sectional plunger is employed, it will be operated by the same or equivalent devices. For the purpose of operating the yoke and the plunger or plungers connected therewith I combine with the yoke any suitable mechanical contrivance by means of which the same may be depressed when required. I have contemplated using an ordinary treadle, which is joined to the yoke by any suitable wire or link, as 13 in Fig. 1.

Each lift or layer which is placed in position in the opening or passage of the form by the operator or attendant is carried down by the descent of the plunger or plungers and compressed by the action of the latter against the preceding lift or layer. It also is secured to the said preceding lift or layer by means of paste interposed between the surfaces of the two. Inasmuch as each lift or layer in turn is compressed against the preceding one within the opening or passage of the form and united thereto by means of paste, as just mentioned, the continued operation of the machine results in the production of what may be termed a continuous bar of composite structure corresponding in cross-section with the previously-prepared blanks. For the purpose of introducing the paste between the successive layers I form within the shell of the form 7 a paste-reservoir, as indicated at 14, (see more particularly Fig. 3,) and provide holes 15 15 near the upper rim of the form, leading from the said reservoir 14 to the opening or passage within which the blanks are received. The paste which is contained within the reservoir 14 oozes through holes 15, and as each blank in turn is forced downward within the form a portion of paste is compressed between such blank and the preceding one and becomes spread over the proxi mate surfaces of the two blanks.

The reservoir 14 is fed from a suitable tank,

(indicated at 16 in Fig. 1,) from whichapipe 17 leads to the reservoir, a suitable valve or cock 18 being provided, Figs. 2 and 3, by means of which to enable the rate of flow of i the paste from the tank 16 into the reservoir 14, as well as the pressure within the said reservoir, to be regulated or the flow to be cut off or turned on, as desired. To receive f the bar of the said blanks as formed and guide 5 the same as it grows longer and as its lower portion descends in the machine, I provide a tube 19', corresponding in shape with the opening through the form 7. fof the said form 7 a flange 20 depends, and .the upper end of the tube 19 is slipped onto the said flange, it fitting exteriorly of the lat- 2' ter.

19 to pass onto the outside of the depending ,flange 20 I provide against the existence of any shoulder against which the descending lblanks would be liable to catch.

end of the tube 19 rests upon a spring-pressed table 21 or the like support, the said table be- From the lower side By causing the upper end of the tube The lower ing borne upwardly by means of springs 22 22 or their equivalents, so as to force the upper end ofthe tube against the under side of the form and so as also to sustain the weight of the said tube and its contents. Thelower end of the tube 19 fits between projections 23 23 on the said table and is held thereby from lateral displacement. For the purpose of supporting the bar as it is formed and preventing the lower portion thereof from breaking away from the upper portion I employ a movable follower 2t within the said tube. IVith the said follower I combine means whereby to uphold it in a yielding manner, so as to sustain the weight of the bar or blanks, but so as also to allowit to descend gradually as the length of the said bar increases. Springs or weighted cords connected to portions of the follower projecting through longitudinal slots in the tube may be employed, if desired; but I prefer to combine with the follower frictional devices which shall tend to retain the follower in a given position within the tube,

but shall allow it to move lengthwise within the same when sufficient pressure is exerted thereagainst. Thus I have shown applied to the said follower 2f the pressers 25 2:5,which tend to spread outwardly from the middle or center of the follower and bear against the inner surface of the tube. In the present case I have shown the said pressers as formed of spring material and each fastened by one end thereof to the body of the follower between the flanges 26 96, that are provided at the upper and lower sides of the follower. These flanges are a sufficient distance apart to insure safety against tipping or tilting of the follower within the tube. Thereby a uniform resistance or pressure is offered by the follower to all portions of the lower end of the bar of blanks in process of formation. A bar of blanks of sufficient length having been formed by the operation of the machine, the working of the latter is arrested and the tube, with its contents, is removed from the machine. The bar of blanks within the same is ejected from the tube and the latter subsequently is restored to position in the machine.

It is to be understood that in somecases paste .maybe applied to the blanks by hand or otherwise than as described hereinabove before introducing them into the form.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination, the form within which blanks which are to be united to one another are placed successively, a yielding support for the united blanks as they move through the form, a sectional plunger, and means for actuating the said sectional plunger, the said means including provisions for laterally retracting the said sections from the form and afterward bringing them together in position to drive the blank into the latter, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the form within which blanks which are to be united together are placed successively, the said form having provisions for discharging paste onto the surfaces of the said blanks, a plunger whereby to force the blanks together and thereby unite them, means to actuate the said plunger, and a yielding support for the united blanks as they move through the form, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the form within which blanks which are to be united together are placed successively, the said form being provided with passages for discharging paste onto the blanks which are introduced into the same, a plunger and actuating means therefor whereby to force the blanks together within the said form and thereby unite them to one another, a tubular guide to receive the bar of united blanks as it issues from the form, a yielding follower within the said guide, and means to offer a yielding resistance to the movement of the said follower, substantially as described.

t. In combination, the form and its provisions for discharging paste onto the blanks that are placed within the same, a plunger and actuating means therefor whereby to force the blanks together within the said form and thereby unite the same to one another, the removable tube to receive the bar of united blanks, the follower within the said tube, and frictional devices whereby to oppose a yielding resistance to the movement of the follower within the tube, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELBRIDGE S. MANSELL. Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAGLEOD. 

